Entanglements
by GoatVille
Summary: Though awkward, it was merely presumed to be an accidental and brief encounter between these two. Not a catalyst for their perpetual entwinement. But then again, what is a life without all its peculiarities? (modern AU, rating may change)
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note:_ is a Modern AU fic centered around Sasuke and Hinata's progression in their lives, for the most part and how their situation affects any potential relationship they could have, but it's my intention that their relationship play a bigger role in this story more than their individual ones(but I would like to develop them). Not really any character bashing here-every character that I focus on assumes their own flaws that will be addressed. And NaruSaku isn't a given for this fic either, but I largely haven't planned that far.

I'm also a writer who works more efficiently with feedback and reception (sorry?), and that's not to say that I'll "hold chapters hostage" (lol I rarely have multiple chaps finished at once as soon as I finish a chap I want it out of my hands) it's just harder to continue to be as motivated when it feels like no one's reading so constructive commentary is welcome but I can't really talk update schedule right now, though I have started ch. 2.

Btw this will probably be the only time I do a long A/N intro.

 _Disclaimer:_ I do not own naruto or make any profit from what I write.

Please Enjoy!

::

Transgressions: Part 1

::

It was obnoxious...and ingenious, Hinata had to admit as she peered over the windowsill along with every other student on that side of the building.

Class was basically adjourned, completely drawn to a halt because of this massive symbol parading the school's front lawn. It's not like much was holding it together anyhow, she was in her second to last week of class on a Friday of her senior year in high school. She might as well dip a toe on the adventurous side.

And so she did.

Ino peered over her shoulder, arms crossed, aura smug. "Amazing. This is the defining mark of this year's senior class of Konoha Academy. Never thought I'd be more proud to be a student here. Too bad the sentiment's so late in the game."

Hinata glanced at her. "Do you know who did it?"

Ino snorted, all confident and assuredly, like she usually would. "Of course I know."

Hinata turned her head back, pretending to believe her while ignoring the teacher's commands to make their way back to their desks, along with the rest of the class. It seemed pointless especially in the face of something as...tumltuous-in the eyes of the administrators that is-as this.

A male phallic was ingrained upon the bright green grass of the esteemed high school. It was drawn largely and...with rather a much detail. There was a slight curve at its end, the balls hung sort of low along the erected member, the head was made clear, and even indicated the small window to the world inside it.

Though, the truly stellar part to this plan was that, unlike everyone had assumed, the perpetrator hadn't used spray paint or anything of the like. In fact, they used weedkiller. A highly efficient and potent one. The first day, the school was in a chaotic shock-all the other senior pranks had been tame and remote thus far-completely to the adminsitrators fortune and capability of dealing, but now there were pictures parading its magnitude around the internet-its presence disseminated without fail. The second day people were already integrating its existence into their lingo, a school wide inside joke that just about everyone found hilarious, until, it was no longer "inside"-no longer an isolated incident. The third day made sure of this as people from other schools and communities took it and ran; it was all over everyone's snapchat, everyone's instagram, and its fame continued wider by students from local schools trying to get a glance, a look, at the infamous...penis. It was all anyone had been talking about for the past week it'd been there; every attempt by administrators to cover it up was sabotaged by student supporters until, finally, they gave up. In one foul sweep the whole school was consumed by it, its reputation tarnished.

Certainly, the proximity of summer was no cushion. The higher ups could do very little to control the decency of the institution-their students falling pray to the tempting jokes at any and every point during classroom time: the rates of sexual innuendos skyrocketed-but it _was_ , all in all, a harmless senior prank.

And though harmless, it was poignant; no matter how the custodians tried to get rid of it, it was a lost cause. According to speculation, they may have to uproot the whole lawn altogether before the fall.

In any case, the prankster succeeded wildly beyond anyone's expectation; that phallic would be sticking around for sometime to reign down chaos so long as it remained.

::

Monday

::

What Sasuke wants, assuredly, was not always what Sasuke gets.

Things Sasuke wanted at the moment: a relaxing joy ride to the beach in his jeep, to be far from the disgusting and scorching heat on the inland, and overcome by the refreshing breeze of the shore, far, _far_ away from the responsibilities of his current situation.

What Sasuke got, was a headache.

And not without an earful.

"What the _hell_ is that thing doing in front of our school?"

Tsunade, as she faced the window of her office with a direct bird-eye view from the courtyard, wasn't speaking to anyone in particular-room consisting of him, Naruto, and Shikamaru-but the anger was palpable nonetheless. Her arms were crossed as if trying to physically hold back her wrath upon them-

She said she would wait for the others.

She turned to them, eyes closed, futilely withholding her boiling frustration. "The board of ed is going to wring my neck," She murmured, though somehow with more irritation.

She looked up at the door, and to her own relief, Ino and Hinata had arrived settling into their seats.

Ino tried to offer up some form of excuse. "Sorry we're late, Headmistress. The parking lot was full-"

She held a hand out to her-

 _Shut up,_ She wanted to say, but instead Tsunade exhaled before continuing.

"Ino, Hinata," She started before looking at each of them. "I've called my senior student council officers here today in meeting of a catastrophe that's recently occurred. I'm sure you know what I'm referring to when I say this- you may've even seen it on your way back here, girls. Tch, who am I kidding, it's impossible to miss," She tried to visibly restrain herself from glaring at it again, and attempted relaxing herself by releasing the tension in her shoulders, and loosening her posture-it of course, didn't work. "I am supposed to be conducting 'investigations', but I'm also aware that 'snitching' is against teen protocol, but I need to get to the bottom of this, and I do have to start somewhere."

Shizune, always the diplomat, spoke up this time, a worried furrow decorating her brow. "We're not accusing anyone in here, by the way. The headmistress would like to clarify that as well."

But her sardonic snort said otherwise.

Sasuke's sigh seeped into the fibers of his bones, and slouched him into his chair. He didn't even have anything to do with it, although he silently wished he did. It would be an astounding accomplishment to have under his belt, and the timing was perfect-only days of school left, and he was about to graduate; the perpetrator was a genius.

His eyes couldn't help but lock onto Shikamaru.

"By bringing us in here, I can't help but feel like I'm being accused anyway," Naruto remarked.

"Yeah, it's hard to look at it anyway else right now." Ino stated.

"Again, I'm just asking the senior class a couple questions in small groups at a time." She clarified. "You kids are are the class officers. This is your last mission as such. I need you simply to cooperate."

Shikamaru huffed. "Did this guy take out your cameras or something? Why can't you just check those?"

Tsunade grew visibly perturbed again, even more so. Shizune, sensing this, answered for her. "That's another thing. They weren't circumvented or covered, or anything messy like that. Either the footage from that time was erased or someone must've scheduled to have the cameras sleep within that time frame the crime was being done."

The room was silent, and questions hung themselves in the air, one by one.

Naruto unfolded his hands from behind his head, and leaned out in his chair. "Guess I'll be the one to ask: what happens to the culprit?"

Tsunade pursed her lips. "It depends if they come forward or not by the end of the week-the last week of school."

"If they come forward?"

"Suspension."

Pointless, Sasuke mused. A vacation for the final days of school? She was either lying or an idiot. Sasuke knew better though, she was a careful woman. So for her to lie to the students in this room- students she supposedly trusted-only meant...

"And if they don't?"

The phone in the main office leading out of Tsunade's went blaring. Shizune got out of her chair, and excused herself, and Sasuke watched the headmistress watch her as she left.

"If not, they won't walk at graduation and earn a call to their intended university."

Hinata sat perfectly in her chair pushing her glasses further up her nose, unmoved by the day's events. It was uniform day-as all Monday's were-and hers was pristine maintaining her streak with only a week left and not a thread or seam out of place. Her hair was slightly sifting at her shoulders and sprawling largely but orderly at the back. Nothing threw her off today, not the closeness of summer and her imminent graduation or even when she got scheduled to go to the principal's office out of the blue. She was on alert, and focused still. Because of this she was able to assess the situation before her rather quickly. They either wanted a witch hunt out of them, or were being ambushed. Tsunade had laid out the punishments, but it seemed to her that it was more likely all three repercussions would occur either way, but she kept that to herself. It was likely, Hinata deduced, that she was lying in some form, and Hinata also had her suspicions as to why. In any case, the best option for any guilty party was to stay quiet.

But of course as Vice President, of a most prestigious and eloquent academy, it was her duty to defend the school's honor, assert goodness, and take a stance that justice be served.

Or come off that way, at the very least.

She was largely unmotivated by the task. The prank was harmless; the janitors didn't have to clean it up, it was too late to try and penalize the entire class, and the worst outcome she could think of was the smaller school kids seeing it from across the lawn as they ventured outside.

"What can we as a student council honestly do? We don't have any more resources than you do to figure this out." Ino said.

Tsunade closed the blinds with a pained sigh at the admonishing subject of vandalism before walking to the door of her office and shutting it, and closing the blinds on that one too. She walked back toward her desk, her heels clacking on the wood with a sharp beat, and everyone slightly on edge suddenly. Her demeanor was now even more overbearing and domineering than before. It were as though Shizune's presence had caged it if only slightly, and her absence released it. She sat back into her chair sinking in the leather, and crossed one foot over the other. Her elbows rested on the arms of her chair as she skillfully interlocked her fingers.

"Ino, let's not play dumb here." Tsunade said between her fingers. "But now that I do have all the people I need in here, currently, I'll start being upfront as well.

"You'll have to forgive me, but I lied. The only people with the type of knowledge of access to those cameras would potentially be the student council officers _or_ , admittedly, the national honor society officers, whom I've scheduled to speak with as well," She started, then intensely staring down each of them. "Specifically, however, it's my opinion that the culprit is in this room."

The reactions varied between them-one shifted in their chair, one's mouth gaped, one scratched their hair, one had done nothing, and one crossed their arms-

before they all exchanged glances.

::

He was out of school, finally, but not home. His blond best friend got him to go that Johnny Rocket's in the mall he was in no favor of.

"She's really lost it man," Naruto said between bites of his burger. "It's so late for this shit."

Sasuke hummed an agreement. He had things to do-work on his speech, secure his earnings for the summer, relax-he didn't have time to be immersed in this extra nonsense.

"I mean, it's not actively hurting anybody. Let The Thing do its thing." He huffed picking at his fries.

Sasuke nodded, tooth on his straw. "Did you do it?" He asked half-joking, mindful of the answer already.

" _No_ ," He deadpanned. "but damn, I wish I thought of it, and I definitely would've brought you along 'cause no way it'd come out that right on my own, ya know? I mean weedkiller? Not even spray paint or anything? Genius. Shit, it might've been one of those artsy kids 'cause who's _that_ creative? Whoever did it, has my unwavering respect."

"You're not wrong." Sasuke said. They were in full agreement.

"Who do you think did it?"

Sasuke paused before drinking his ginger ale. "Shikamaru seems like an obvious candidate."

Naruto chewed on his food some. "True," Naruto said, though he didn't look convinced. "But there were five of us in there."

Sasuke hadn't even thought to consider the late comers. He knew little of the blue one, but he'd thought enough to know that she was tightly wound. And Ino simply wasn't one to get her hands dirty. Literally and figuratively.

He shrugged to himself. "And there are about three hundred kids in our class. And almost twelve hundred kids in our school. Her suspicions don't rule them out. And she said that she'll talk to the NHS officers."

The blonde hummed. "Oh yeah, Sakura and them."

Naruto looked thoughtful before he rerouted the conversation. "By the way, you think you can drop me off at Neji's?"

Sasuke made a face expressing emotion even he couldn't be bothered to hide, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Still mad I chose him over you to be my tutor, eh?" Naruto jested, "Don't worry. It's not a tutoring sesh I just left something there, I'll be in and out."

Sasuke only sank further into the palm of his hand. "I was never upset. Guy just rubs me the wrong way," He countered.

Naruto bellowed a loud laugh, hiking its way to his shoulders that also turned a couple heads."It's funny when you say things like that about a person who's as close to your persona as you can get. You two are too similar for your own good."

Besides not liking being compared to a tight-ass like Neji Hyuga, Sasuke didn't like when naruto spoke like that-in that manner-either, like he were smart _er_. As if it were so matter-of-fact and Sasuke were plain clueless. When he spoke so confidently that things even his idiotic self said started to ring true. Sasuke continued to stare out the booth refusing his gaze as sipped on his Canada Dry.

"What time do you have to be there?"

:

Sasuke liked to think himself practical, methodical, well-plained out, and independent. He's gotten rather well at taking care of himself and his own business like a true adult although he was only on the cusp of seventeen. His parents hardly ever hounded him for anything-he'd started a small job to make his own cash, succeeded in high school, and got into a good college to do the same thing. He did exactly what was expected of him, an Uchiha, if not more, and he did it without question.

However, his absolute faith in himself would sometimes cloud his judgement. His decision making skills were quick, reflexive, and sure; once he made a decision he stuck to it, anyone could attest to that. Stubborn and true. But, Sasuke Uchiha was not as careful as he liked to think he was. Meticulous, was he? Thorough? Well, he believed his first time should count for everything. He only took his SAT once after all, and got exactly the score he aimed for, he was a natural and gifted learner in all practices and...projecting these principalities into a universal context, would be his downfall...today.

Namely, he'd underestimated (not forgot) the distance between the Johnny Rockets at the mall, and The Hyuga Residence. That was his first mistake, or rather, his second. His first one was agreeing to go anywhere near the home of a person he didn't trust. Thirdly, he'd succumbed to the heat's overbearing presence, and instead of buying food, asked the server to continue bringing those ginger ale's because nothing was more satisfying or sensible (fiscally anyway) at that moment. In conjunction with that, had overestimated the comfortability of his bladder with the amount of ginger ale he'd consumed.

And so, while driving out of the mall district, Sasuke suddenly realized

he needed to go.

Terribly.

Maybe, possibly, Sasuke could've battled through it, if only for those minor details.

But it was rush hour. Goddamn this traffic.

A normally fifteen minute drive turned to almost thirty. By the time they'd made it to the Hyugas, he was twitching.

"Dude, just go inside and use it. Neji's not cruel. He's 'college guy' now, _mature_ and what not." Naruto reminded him.

Sasuke side-eyed him. His words did not quell his pride.

Naruto easily received the stubborn energy radiating off him, that was trying to override his suffering silence. "You gonna piss in your car or something?" He questioned.

"Dude, just go!" Sasuke half-exclaimed.

"Ugh, and I'm the idiot." He said as he jumped out the white jeep.

And it's not like he could get out and pee in a bush.

These were the Hyugas. He was on their territory. Their large, gated, surveil-lanced territory.

They were in regular contact with his own family, and he didn't want his piss all over their front lawn to be the reason a relationship froze over. He'd never hear the end of it.

There were cameras everywhere. There was an external gate, to get to the main gate of the entrance-

he was trapped.

At that point Sasuke's head was on the steering wheel running over scenarios in his head, and he thought about Naruto going in there and retrieving whatever he left, trying to find it, and him striking up conversation with anyone and everyone who comes his way-and he remembered the size of Neji's family, and that he'd had a history with them, and that there'd be much to catch up on, and that Naruto had a short attention span and even shorter memory and that'd he'd be liable to forget him and that Naruto wasn't one to answer his phone right away, and even when he did, he liked to hang up on Sasuke when he caught a tone and might hold it against him and still not hurry, and he imagined Naruto getting out the house-he could see him walking not even quickly back to the car only to start driving-then he remembered the traffic and like that his resolve dissolved into nothing.

Sasuke hopped out, trying to ignore the weight of the liquid as gravity pulled him down.

"Al _right_ , Asshole," Naruto cheered hearing the car _beep_ behind him.

They buzzed the large gate, and a voice came through. "It's naruto."

 _"You've brought something with you_ ," Neji voiced back.

"Yeah it's just my chauffeur. He's gotta use the can," Naruto responded, and shrugged as Sasuke rolled his jaw.

The buzzer beeped, and Naruto walked ahead of Sasuke. "See? What'd I tell ya?"

"Hey Neji," Naruto walked in the mansion ahead of Sasuke all comfortable and welcome.

"What happened? You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago. I have things to do."

"It was this guy driving not me."

His head turned, and strange white eyes narrowed on him. Sasuke stood shakily and...desperate even at the door as Neji surveyed him.

"Uchiha."

"There was traffic." He said beside the greeting. He looked to him without words: a reluctant plea through the eyes.

Neji's lips curled and his eyes twinkled for the smallest of moments. He must know, _oh_ how he must know how he suffered to be asking like this.

"As much as it'd be fun to ruin your day a little I do have places to be," He started, smirk retreating, twinkles dwindling. "Down that corridor and third door on your left."

He tried not sprint.

He brushed the door behind him, and saw white as he torturously fiddled with his zipper, positioned himself and sighed into his release. It was orgasmic, so much so that he leaned over the toilet. He heaved a sigh, but his relief was cut short-pierced and destroyed by a loud crash- replaced with worry that settled upon his brows, and commanded his eyes to the source, that he snap his neck to the door he failed to close properly, and brace the consequences that came with it.

 _Oh **fuck.**_

::

"Shikamaru-kun?" Hinata asked.

Ino sipped at her straw. "Uh-huh."

"But I thought you said he didn't mention anything by name?"

Ino sighed and gave her a poor innocent look. "He told me not too long ago, in the group chat, he had something planned. Then boom. Penis."

Hinata turned forward continuing at the pretzel in her hand as Ino drank down her mango smoothie beside her. So she wasn't sure, Hinata concluded.

"Do you think it could be anyone else?"

Ino sighed. "It very well could be someone else I guess. But who cares? They'll likely make it out alive no matter what."

Hinata tore off bits of her pretzel and ate it with a steadiness. She didn't like being accused of things or being in any sort of trouble, but if Ino was confident then she would be too.

"Have you been working on your speech?" Asked Hinata. The mention of it completely swerved the conversation and fueled Ino's mood.

" _God_ I'm a wreck. I've been going through drafts of pure trash and then suddenly having zero ideas. And it's in like two weeks!" Ino started, and then continued rambling on about the transitions, and which hook was better: anecdote or intimate direct address of her predicament, or how to make things sound the same way they did in her head as she wanted it to for an audience, whether she should subliminally message students, teachers, staff or if she could shout out her friends or whether anything she wrote down made any sense. and she went on like that for quite awhile, Hinata contributing her nods, and "really?"'s here and there and other acts of assurances before Ino finally put the ball in her court.

"What about you?" Ino asked licking what remained of her smoothie.

"What about me?" Hinata returned.

The blond looked to her incredulously. "You're writing a speech too, I'm president of the student body and the val-I can't write and recite two speeches, and you're the vice president."

It's true that there are traditionally three to four student speeches given at graduation. The valedictorian of course, the salutatorian, and one class officer if not two, and on occasion, if not two class officers, then a highly recognized individual student of other matters. That thought of writing a speech did cross Hinata's mind, and it did briefly terrify her and gift her a few sleepless nights, but she shook her head. "It'll go to Naruto I believe. He's the co-vice president and far better at the speech making and administering process. Plus, there's no need for a fourth this speech this year.'

"Naruto?" Ino asked.

"Uh-huh." Hinata mocked like before.

"Did he tell you he got the speech?"

There was a pause. "...No,but-"

Ino's demeanor became smug. "Hm. Interesting."

"It's...not." She responded loosely.

" _Yeah_..." She said gathering her things, and ignoring Hinata's eye roll. "Well, I've got to meet Sakura soon so I'll...see you on stage..." She joked ignoring Hinata's eye roll.

"And before that, at school tomorrow, bye." She waved behind her with a kiss at her fingertips before proceeding to the mall exit, and Hinata nibbled on her pretzel trying to unsettle the anxiety that built up from that possible truth she'd forced into the back of her mind. When she decided her thoughts alone couldn't diffuse it, she realized it was time to go as well.

::

There wasn't much to expect when she got home from school. Her father was often away on business, Neji locked himself in his room most of the time these days to study or sometimes tutor, Hanabi was always out of the house for something as though she didn't have a shortage of friends, and there were a various but not plentiful other family members (two cousins and an aunt) who lived in the residence, but on extreme sides of the mansion-more or less a guest house turned Hyuga Inn.

Today was no different, and she afforded herself the same relaxation ritual she descended to with her academic career coming to a close which started out by face planting onto her bed like dead weight, and refusing to turn herself over until she was in dire need of breath. She had work soon, so she didn't have the liberty to fully decompress.

To avoid lulling into a regretful slumber she sat herself up, headed for the kitchen and went through her mental 'to-do list', for the entire summer before university. it was all mundane and usual, but she could live with that. She'd just recently gone through various hurdles and hoops to get to her current situation. She'd made a major switch in terms of college last minute, far beyond the committed date for the more competetive universities anyway, but lucky for her, she'd deposited the commitment fee into multiple universities behind her father's back so that she could potentially choose whichever one on her own without the struggle of begging the admissions office an extension on her fee submission. To her relief, things had turned out exactly like that: her father was prepared to allow her the university of her choosing, considering the ones she was looking at were all still of high prestige, under the condition of course, that she still obtained her MBA.

There was time to potentially change that too, she mused.

If she wanted, that is.

The family business doesn't appaul her or scare her, but she was sure she wanted more than to do exactly what she was told. It's taken time and a lot of failure, pain and reflecting, but Hinata Hyuga learned how to play into her father's hand, mirror him in some ways, and gain the dragon's trust. He didn't question her every move anymore, allowed her some autonomy even, sometimes praised her decisions too. If she failed to meet some form of expectations in one way, she made it up in another.

Which is sometimes bewildering to Hinata, because although she isn't at the very top of her class now, at a time she was-standing above the others. That was early tenth grade, and her father was still so...unsatisfied with her; his expectations, his drive, they were insatiable.

A true business man.

But now, she was third, maybe fourth in class, but he actually...liked her now. And it had soon clicked to Hinata that he wasn't qualifying her based off achievement. He didn't want to know that after every step she took, she'd look back to him with a wavering hope of praise, that everything she did was to please him because one day she might be tasked with the job as head of the company, and should her drive be based off purely off what he thought of her? How competent she thought _he_ thought she was? Because when he was gone, so would his praise be too, and his guidance and what would her focus be then?

What he wanted from her was initiative and, possibly, above the others-

Nerve.

He wanted to know that she had substance to her. That she had a will.

It was a sturdy lesson, one that she had to pry from her own failings, not his very well functioning mouth, that he largely never used. And it was ironic truly, because all those years, all that time invested into being good enough for him-that was exactly what made her lesser,

in his eyes.

Hinata snagged a few rice cakes before proceeding away from the kitchen. She wanted to spend her last couple minutes alone and snacking before work, she thought hearing voices at the door. She was glancing behind her shoulder as she slipped into the corridor, she liked to steer towards her own solitude-

 _Bam!_

The world was black long enough that she feared it, and felt pain crashing around her cranium, and her glasses narrowly escaped destruction with a minor crack in it, but she saw-

 _Everything._

She heard the loud zipper, the metal of the belt, the-

" _Jesus fucki-_!"

" _Ah_ -shit. S-Sorr- _ohmygod_." She stammered, moving quickly to shut the door forcefully, with both arms.

She felt that composure she'd begun to master dissipate, replaced by a chaotic fluster with no end or cooling in sight. She could feel the red inferno in her cheeks swirling about, making her dizzy.

-From the red of her blood on the dull edge of the largely open bathroom door, to the dust on the white blinds in the tiled bathroom, to the shocked, enlarged black eyes of the black haired classmate she hadn't really ever spared a second thought and his slightly wrinkled uniform ...and his...

She couldn't un-see it.

Hinata put the rice cakes in a napkin afterwards, and left the Hyuga residence for work rather early that day.

::

Wild...anyway, if you made it to the end, hope you enjoyed! And please review and let me know how it was!


	2. Transgressions: Part 2

_Author's Note_ : Took me a little longer than I anticipated getting this story, sorry lol, but wanted to say thank you to everyone who's reviewed, favorited and followed so far!

 _Disclaimer_ : I do not own Naruto...but y'all knew that.

Please Enjoy!

::

Transgressions: Part 2

::

"You really are the idiot between us."

Naruto's laugh cackled like fireworks, and rocked Sasuke's patience, but he couldn't be bothered to retort. Shame and embarrassment sprouted from his gut, and had writhed through him since that godforsaken moment; it had reached up and lent itself unto his tongue, barring him from mentioning any specifics to Naruto or anyone else for that matter, until now-the next day.

Minutes before the first bell, and Sasuke was being showered in sarcasm and insults by the blond, whom, he couldn't confidently contradict. He was an idiot. And he could do nothing to escape this fact simply for the unlucky weirdness that came with his day as well, certainly because...he shared nearly every class with this Hyuga...

There simply wasn't enough precedent between the two of them; they'd never established a real relationship, truly. Her existence in his life thus far had been so minute, so unfamiliar. There was nothing to try ground them that would allow it to be any less awkward. Their relationship had been shrouded in the professionalism of their own fathers' working one. He associated her presence with the mundane nuances of networking and business, and couldn't imagine it being much different for herself.

Oh God.

What if she told her dad already?

What if he told to his?

The stab of dread pierced him abruptly, and it was poisoned with dangerous anxiety at its tip; he hated being scolded by that guy. He closed his eyes a moment trying to calm himself. He shouldn't jump to conclusions-it's ben less than 24 hours, and he should simply focus on things he can already control-like the nothingness of class right now. Trying not to let the seniors slip into the famed seniority, they go right into college level coursework as soon as the high school load is finished. He should use this time to get ahead, not buckle under an embarrassing and what could only _potentially_ be a terrible situation. He tried not to think about this bump in the road, tried not to let the incident consume him, but her blue hair that his eyes had usually brushed over everyday since they'd started kindergarten together, up until yesterday may as well have been glaring red.

Should he apologize?

No, was his first reaction. It'd make things more awkward. Plus, he's never...done that before, wouldn't know how to start-he could see himself stumbling over his words, or potentially insulting her-it wouldn't be a smart move. It'd be a painful one.

Still, this didn't resolve his current situation.

Under the circumstances, he couldn't help but wish it were Sakura or Ino-preferably Ino-that he could grumble off: endure a few jokes or innuendos here and there for a day or two, not worry about their contacts with his family. His standing repertoire with them and their easy-going relationship would make it less intolerable.

But then, that might just be him romanticizing things. The fact is, no matter how a situation like this occurred, or with who, it's just not favorable.

His eyes drifted back to her again.

Security was spilling from her seat, he observed: he couldn't see her face from where he sat but could make out blue hair pulled into a low bun, loose strands found themselves at her collarbone, a long charcoal skirt that tapered at her crossed ankles hugged her hips just enough not be considered prude, a white pristine button up loosely outlined her silhouette, and white vans to match.

She'd always been well put together like her brother-cousin, whatever, almost as uptight too.

She was probably disgusted with him.

If it were any less his fault or any less shameful, he'd be less keen of how she felt or viewed him. But the dice had already been tossed.

Though maybe...maybe he was going about this the wrong way. Maybe he'd blown it out of proportion. It was a stupid mistake, after all. He hadn't...he wasn't...there was no intent behind what happened-it simply just did.

 _You flashed her in her fucking home, you idiot,_ a more prudent and critical part of his mind swiftly countered him.

"Sasuke?"

The sound of his name ripped him from his thoughts, detached his face from his palm, and among Kakashi's eyes and the dozens of student ones also staring at him, there stood out only one-white with a lavender tint.

He was hoping, at best she probably was just awkwardly regarding him, but that he was wrong of again because-

Something like horror pooled in her eyes, and willed her to snap her head away from him immediately ahead of the rest of the class.

The Hyuga girl was absolutely and _irrevocably abhorred_ by him.

It was strange, Sasuke noted. It's not some uncommon occurrence to meet eyes with someone unintentionally; it may feel abnormal, but everyone's aware of this ominous innate ability to feel eyes on them, and as a rule, if it does happen, the two strangers would about it as if it didn't. In Hinata's case, Sasuke remembered-because even though they never really spoke, in all these years of at least knowing who the other was, they hadn't avoided the imminent "eye-lock"-she'd even smile before turning away. The interaction would then dissolve into nothingness because that's what it's supposed to be.

The contrast of then and now was significant. The weight of the interaction somehow meant so much more. The luxury of dissolving was lost on them, and the shared eye contact simply dug them in deeper.

he knew that she knew that he knew she saw his dick.

And she knew that he knew she knew it was his fault.

Sasuke tried to ignore the shame and guilt swirling with a violent fervor inside his belly.

Bluntly stating it like that in his head did nothing to ebb his suffering.

"Sasuke."

The second call of his name came with a singular sense of surprise.

He forgot he was staring.

"If you'd like to stare and ogle at one of your classmates all day, take the time to ask her out after class, not telepathically in the middle of it." Kakashi mocked.

It would've garnered some laughs usually, but it mostly just raised many eyebrows-

"Who was he staring at?"-

was the prize question.

Embarrassment empowered Kakashi's authority, and kept the students in check. Sasuke didn't usually fall victim to it, but according to his luck in the past 24 hours, it was only fitting that today be the time when he did.

And it seemed nearly impossible to not know who Kakashi was talking about after some time. The fact that Hinata's head was tucked into her neck, looking fiercely away from everyone's subject of attention...it looked as though she was avoiding it.

And like a school of fish, altogether, everyone's necks broke, eyes pointed, and attention had landed on her.

Hinata liked to think herself sensible, kind, empathetic and pragmatic. She'd gotten rather well at navigating the social cues and throes of people around her. She built a strong relationship with some of them, and created great impressions on others which helped catapult her to her position as vice president-tying with the all popular and coveted Naruto Uzumaki (who didn't even have to try).

Being well-known or "popular" wasn't the goal so much as the benefits that came with it. Not even to say that she necessarily was those things, but she would say with confidence she wasn't on the other end of the spectrum. Her achievements spoke for themselves, and she, not always the eloquent communicator, didn't have to.

But what she didn't anticipate was that this might all one day backfire on her. The fact is, she's a student with strong presence in the school. A rigid presence. She operated within and through predictable and appropriate means. She'd created a box for herself that she had no problem settling into, and thus no unnecessary attention that would cling and strangle her. However, that means things...

Leaving the box turned heads.

Being stared at by Sasuke Uchiha turned heads.

Attention was not and more than likely would not be her strong suit. Anything that could potentially garner mass unexpected attention, she kept under wraps or didn't do.

But she'd made it years without fainting in extreme situations. Today, she would not let that streak fall.

She had cursed Sasuke in her mind. And Kakashi. Mostly Sasuke. Their natural foreboding, hardly existing aquainiship was being put on display for a larger audience.

 _Why the_ hell _is he staring?_

She could feel the adamance boring into her back and neck. And then ten fold when the class had narrowed down their suspicions to her.

Her cheeks were burning brightly and profusely and she was inarguably upset with him. It's true the idea of Sasuke made her uncomfortable like hell as of yesterday. Horridly, _horridly_ so, but...she thought at least he would go the length of making it less awkward. Not fuel it with any chance he obtained. Give her the space and time she would need to _forget_ it, not be reminded of it. For that same reason, she didn't even mention it to any of her friends and certainly not her family.

She didn't know the Uchiha well at all, but she had always thought him decent.

With the events unfolding she was beginning to think otherwise.

"Alright, enough chatter. Back to the lesson, class," Kakashi redirected.

:

The bell signaled the end of class, and Sasuke remained confined to his seat-apprehensiveness chained him at the ankle. It was his plan to speak to her after class, and be amiable-throw his pride to the wind and apologize and be done with it. But just because he thought it, didn't mean he could do it.

His eyes remained on her as she collected her belongings, and set course for the door. His window was closing, and he was trying to calculate all the different outcomes in his mind, but none satisfied him. He groaned before fiercely kicking himself out his chair.

 _Fuck it._

He hurried over to her seeing as she felt him staring-again-and she, with a sudden unprecedented haste from her began to take her things from her desk. Sasuke was quicker though, his desire to be guilt free more selfish, but he was suddenly pummeled by an air of reluctance and uneasiness. That, added with the bandage on the top of her forehead just barely hidden by her bangs made his mouth a little dry.

"I-"

"Taking my advice, I see." Kakashi winked across the classroom raising his cup of coffee, from his desk. He looked too satisfied with himself to not know he was shitting the kid.

Hinata's lips folded into themselves anxiously especially upon seeing some of her classmates still at the door glancing back, like verifying if it was for real.

She opened her mouth. "We should-"

"Yep."

Hinata's shoulders slumped as she stood by the locker outside the classroom. Luckily, it was in between class time, and if anything got too awkward she'd simply say she had to get class before it was too late.

Hinata restrained herself looking over him. He clearly didn't want to address it again, but of course, neither did she.

He looked over his shoulder a few times before he crossed his arms. His eyes didn't relent against her fleeting ones. "Listen, about the..." He sighed into a pregnant and unpleasant pause-for both of them-before continuing. "...bathroom situation the other day: that was totally...my fault. Um-"

The same way Sasuke's blind unyielding confidence impaired his decision making, Hinata simply wasn't as patient as she gave herself credit for. Understanding, yes. But when on edge-she wanted to escape those emotions that branded the anxiety that was currently unfurling inside her. It made her snappy-

"Yes, It was," interrupted her curt retort. Though it shouldn't have been; he was at least entertaining the idea of humbling himself before her-it was an honest mistake-and she knew that, but embarrassing situations like this are things Hinata didn't handle well. She gulped the weight of her impulsiveness, and dodged his pointed, confused look.

"Yes...sorry you saw my..dick."

His chest constricted before he could stop himself; the realization of how ill-minded he was to say it so casually before the syllables rolled off his tongue and found air pinched his airways. Watching her reaction though, he tried to compose himself.

She felt her neck stretch trying to disperse the growing heat as the mortification of the event was thrust upon her again. "You-you _don't_ have to say-" She looked over her shoulder before crossing her arms as well. "It's fine. It is. It's obvious it wasn't intentional I...I-I didn't even see anything...like not-it-its fine." She lied through her struggling speech. It was so obvious he knew it too, looking her up and down. She was holding onto herself.

He should've kept his pride where he usually did:

His fucking mouth.

She thought he might say more, feeling something lingering in the air besides the strangling weirdness between them, but his exterior remained unbothered and nonchalant juxtaposed to her obviously imploding one. Speaking to her, apologizing-it was clearly some chore to him, Hinata couldn't help but believe it.

And it bothered her so she turned to leave.

"O-okay, I..have to get to class." She stated, and left no room for him to say anything else.

He shoved his hand in his pocket heading in the exact direction as her conscious of their sharing almost every class together, but at a much slower pace.

Well, he failed at that, he mused.

Though, at least he'd tried.

::

Sakura didn't know what she heard. She was hardly sure what she saw, but...it would save her trouble if it was she what she thought it was.

And she's not exactly as unassuming as she knew she should be.

But she couldn't help it. The headmistress had done two things: outrightly accused her and her fellow officers of vandalism or the assistance in it, and ask for help in determining the real perpetrators in effort to clear their own suspicion.

If normalcy stood, then she wouldn't have such an issue with the situation; they were days away from the end of school. Who honestly gave a damn if a really detailed penis was in front of the school? It was hardly hers anymore.

Only, there was more riding on this investigation than her innocence.

College was veering into her line of sight, imperializing her vision. It's all she saw theses days-all she cared about.

She wasn't worried that Tsuande would suddenly accuse her specifically, and call her university. No, that wasn't the issue. Though she did have extreme concern for her scholarship contest. She knew with the Headmistress' recommendation, she'd be a shoe-in. It was already hers,

until it wasn't.

Tsunade would hold out on her if she doubted her like this. Like most of the other accused, she didn't have a strong standing evidential alibi, and the Headmistress didn't play favorites-not outrightly anyway.

She needs to be in the clear for this. She has to be.

She wasn't like the others. Her family wasn't drowning in wealth, nor did she descend from centuries-long lineages of esteemed clansmen; her parents weren't poor by any means, but even they couldn't comfortably afford to get her in here-she did that herself. College is supposed to be the same. This scholarship is going to do that for her, and with this deadline fastly approaching...

Sakura knew suddenly, exactly what she'd heard.

::

She went home for lunch. She needed to sleep it off. The awkward tension amassing in her bones. Her body was dead weight on her bed. She turned her head to the side. Anything that touched her forehead sent massive pain to the center of her skull.

The pain drug her from her bed and directed her to the bathroom. Her teeth reeled as she pulled the bandage from her head. How could she be so clumsy? Why didn't she watch where she was going? Why did she look to the left of her? The whole memory of the incident made her tense up. It's not like...that was the first... _Richard_ she'd seen before (as she liked to call it), or-maybe in real life it was, but-

She shook her head drastically, and refused to dwell further. She looked at the small gash, red and bloody that it was, but she couldn't tell whether it would scar or not. She didn't know what story she would contrive for Ino as she'd be so concerned for the purity of her face. But with the bandage off, her bangs covered it completely, and she had no plans to grow them out either.

She tensed applying the Neosporin, and reapplying the bandage. She didn't even realize the footsteps approaching.

Hinata's heart leapt into her stomach seeing Neji at the door. She held her chest catching her breath.

"Sorry, didn't mean to...spook you. The door was open."

It happens to the best of them.

"Why are you home so early?" Asked Neji.

"I-" She paused when his eyes roamed over her forehead. And then stopped on the bandaid and ointment.

Neji blinked for a moment.

And then another, calculations and records being tossed around relentlessly in his mind, and Hinata knew nothing she said could interrupt him.

"What's...why did you leave so abruptly yesterday for work? You didn't tell anyone you'd left. Also...you wouldn't happen to know anything about the red stain...the _blood_ on the edge of the bathroom door, would you? And did you ever get a chance to say hello or goodbye to either Naruto or...the Uchiha?"

That's not fair, she wanted to say. Flooding her with questions trying to overwhelm her into the truth like she were some suspect, some criminal. He always did that. Always vying for the truth.

She released a sigh. "My manager wanted me to come in early because a coworker had to leave their post because of an emergency. I didn't see you so I left. I didn't know there was blood on the bathroom door-I never go by there. I also must've missed the both of them." She stated cooly.

Neji nodded the suspicion in his eyes gone.

Because he was certain she was lying now.

It was replaced with annoyance, especially as Hinata blatantly threw the bandaid wrapper out in the garbage right in front of him. The blood stain was exactly level with the wound.

So he countered her swiftly,"How do you know which bathroom door I was referring to?"

Hinata looked back to him, mouth pursing. She wouldn't say a word.

Neri kept pressing though. "How can you know which one I was referring to? If you didn't know there a blood stain then surely you'd be saying something different. I didn't specify. But you already said you 'never go by there'? Which 'there' is it?" He asked again. His arms crossed. "What's going on, Hinata?"

She wasn't going to say anymore. He knew this.

He sighed letting the tension roll of his shoulders as he uncrossed his arms. He's been struggling with not compromising her autonomy these days. She's almost eighteen after all, and Hinata wanted to be allowed have her own problems, her own mistakes. If Neji didn't allow it, she'd come to resent him in time.

"I'll leave it alone for now," He said to her relief. "Anyway, your father's home early is what I wanted to tell you."

At this, she perks up at him. "But he said he'd be gone until just before graduation."

Neji shrugged already on his way out. "I don't know what happened. His assistant just called to let me know," He half turned away before looking back. "You should find some make up for that. Your father won't be as yielding," He pointed to his own head.

"And have some respect for the maids. Clean that bloody mess up on the door yourself."

::

Getting through the rest of the day was a breeze once he repressed the memories into the far side of his mind, and gave himself less time to not overthink it.

But there was always naruto to reopen the wound.

"You're lucky it was someone quiet like Hinata that shit would be all over school." He laughed.

He was surprised it wasn't already considering his mouth. "Yeah, whatever," He said leaning against his car.

"Don't sweat it though. Lots of guys would love to be in that position."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Lots of creeps...like yourself." Sasuke pointed out.

"Like myself? Nah, no way." Naruto dodged as he drove in his hands in the pockets of his dark wash jeans.

Sasuke surveyed him up and down before sighing in the opposite direction. His disbelief was clear as day.

Naruto cocked his head. "What's that mean? You don't believe me?"

"I don't feel like discussing your 'history' right now." He remarked.

Naruto continued to press though. "What history?" He was trying to look smug.

Sasuke nodded. "You're right, actually," some level of appeasement and teasing plagued his thoughts. "Not you. I was thinking of someone else." He mocked, but sounded serious.

Like a fish, however, he latched onto the bait. "Wait what? Hinata had something with someone else?"

Sasuke shrugged slowly and carefully looking in the direction of an approaching Kiba. "I dunno man," He chided, and offered a hand on his shoulder looking in the brown haired boy's direction willing Naruto to do the same. Sasuke sifted his nose trying to cover his smirk. He couldn't help himself.

"Speak of the devil," He murmured, though certainly loud enough for Naruto to hear.

"Wh...wai-" Naruto became befuddled in his own record of what happened and how.

"That son of a bitch." Sasuke encouraged him. His head was shaking with disapproval as well.

But even Naruto wasn't so dumb so anymore. He shook his arm. "Man get off me." He demanded leaving a chuckling Sasuke.

He didn't actually actually know totally what transpired between the two, only that it ended before it even started.

Kiba made his way over to them. "The Spawn himself laughing? Oh I gotta hear this."

But the blond clearly had a different story to tell.

" _Yeah._ You do."

Sasuke quieted himself.

Naruto looked to his black haired friend his hand gesturing to Kiba, a feigned concerned look gracing his face with furrowed eyebrows. "Would you like to do the honors or should I?"

Kiba looked between the two of them, and put his hands up. "I don' think I wanna hear it anyway," He said. "Ahyhow, I keep hearing about the old bat. Apparently she's looking for the Picasso of the 'ol schlong on the courtyard. People wanna know too. it's masterful. The mastermind deserves praise."

Naruto groaned. "Don't remind me. She thinks one of us did it or something."

"She got proof?" He asked.

They both shrugged. "I don't care," Sasuke stated.

"There's like three days left. Either someone's getting thrown under the bus or it's already over." Naruto responded.

"Oh you know what? That's probably what Sakura was talking about when she mentioned the officers had to go to the meeting today. Ino told her she's been going around accusing people with access to cams." He said.

Sasuke nodded, and Naruto shrugged. "Pretty much. But why didn't you go to the meeting, huh? S'a little sus, Kiba." Naruto pointed out teasing in his voice.

Kiba huffed. "Relax. The meeting was before school. Car was in the shop, and my sister was upset with me for something I did..or didn't do. Either way, she didn't let me take her car. I was major late today."

"Hmm. I dunno, man. I dunno."

The Inuzuka rolled his eyes. "Okay, Idiot. Did you finish making those flyers for the party by the way?"

"Oh yeah."

"'Oh yeah' as in yes, _or_..." Kiba prodded, but the scratch behind Naruto's neck was telling.

"Uchiha, why do you refuse to help us? This bozo can't do anything, and you're just as much involved in this shit as the rest of us." Kiba demanded.

Sasuke lightly scoffed. "Hardly. I come along for fun nothing else."

::

The makeup powder did the job.

She applied it as soon as she arrived home from school to stir her father clear of any suspicions, and also cleaned the edge of the door, exactly...as Neji had advised.

Hinata paused a moment finding Hanabi in the kitchen, munching on an apple, looking at her phone.

"You're home," She observed.

Hanabi gave her a dumb look denoting the obviousness of her statement. " _Yeah_ ," She confirmed, tone dripping with condescension as if it were so usual to be home this early. Truth be told, Hinata hadn't seen Hanabi in her home for a week.

"Call it surprise," murmured Hinata as she turned to the fridge then. She was in no mood to entertain her sister's attitude today.

Even so, she had to restrain herself from asking her sister if there was anything in the mail for her. She walked over to the table to find it herself.

And there was, a small letter sent from the school.

She sighed, dreading what information it might hold.

She hesitated between placing it back down and opening it, and her movements reflected this, and Hanabi looked up at her.

"What are you doing?" She asked, but Hinata still fretted its contents. "It's just paper." She added.

Hinata continued staring back at it, but nodded in agreement. She tore at the envelope.

"And why're you wearing makeup in the middle of your forehead? It's like a line of powder. I never taught you how to blend?"

Hinata pursed her lips at her younger sister, and instictively touched her head. Those words were not surprising, and neither were the ones inside her letter.

Both girls perk up hearing the alarm voice ring:

" _Front Door_ ," Followed by the shutting of the door, and footsteps aqpproach them.

"Father," Hinata called.

"Hello girls," Hiashi sighed greeting his daughters setting down his briefcase. His luggage had already been delivered.

"How've things been?" He asked, making his way to the mail.

Hinata nodded at him glancing at Hanabi. "Fine. How come the meeting ended so early?"

"Yes, some things couldn't be avoided. If I'd stayed it may as well have been a mere excursion. Denver is not the plac-..." He did a double take looking at the empty envelope on the table. He saw the letter in her hand. "What's that?"

Hiashi's eyes grew speculative.

"it's, um-"

his hand drew out to her. "Let me have a look at it."

She placed it in his hand, and pulled his reading glasses from his jacket pocket. "I didn't know they still sent out school mail this late in the-" He cut himself short, rereading and wording the words out like he did with all his documents before nodding, and taking off his glasses.

He handed it back to her a stern look on him, but his pale gleaning eyes searched her face as if trying locate something before exacting it: she was substantial. Truly.

"Good work." He stated simply. She would've burst with pride years ago. Even though she'd severed that part of her that vied for her father's approval, she did feel proud of herself. If only a little, and she was glad her father could understand she was good for something, if only a little.

 _...For outstanding achievement in the academy's five pillars of Scholarship, Stewardship, Character, Leadership, and Community, we are pleased to award Hinata Hyuga the honor of presenting the Senju Citizenship Speech at the Class of 2018's Graduation as our Highly Recognized Student Individual..._

::

He sighed into the leap on his mattress, facing the ceiling. His bed felt good. Really good especially after the day he'd had. It was bright as hell outside, hot too, but give it a minute, and he'd be just uncomfortable enough and he could force himself into sleep mode.

But his luck hadn't yet shifted back into place.

He heard footsteps at the door.

"Knock, knock." His brother hit the door.

Sasuke glared at him. "What."

Itachi's eyebrows furled, mouth forming an ' _oh_ ' as if wounded. "That was a little harsh there. Try again."

Sasuke's eyes rolled for the umpteenth time this week (it was Tuesday). He sat up, and grabbed his Rubix Cube off his desk, playing with it.

"What do you want?"

"Can't drop by, say hello to the bro?"

Sasuke's look was filled with contempt at his awful choice of diction.

"Didn't you move out like two weeks ago? Why're you already back...sort of defeats the purpose."

Itachi took a seat on his bed, ignoring Sasuke's pointed stare. "Easy. I missed my brother."

Sasuke scratched his head sighing. Maybe he should rephrase it. "Did Mom tell you to come by or something?"

Itachi searched his eyes a moment. "Yes, she did."

She was the Matriarch, the true head of this family when it came down to it.

Sasuke released another sigh getting up from his bed. "Are we having guests over or something?"

"Father's home early."

Sasuke paused from playing with his trinkets, and Itachi immediately took note.

Itachi made himself comfy on the younger Uchiha's bed, pulling out a magazine, flipping through. "It's been some time Sasuke. Forget it." And it of course was easy for him to say. "In other news, how's school? The end is nearing. How's it feel?"

Why does everyone ask that? Is he supposed to feel some type of way? That subject didn't make him feel quite as lighter, but he knew his damnedest not to mention anything to Itachi. He'd somehow make a mention of it.

"It's whatever, I guess."

"How's Naruto?"

"Fine."

"How's Kiba?"

"Fine."

"How's...the white haired one? Pointy teeth?"

"Suigetsu...fine."

"Ino? I like her."

"...Fine."

"How's the boyfriend?"

"F-"

Sasuke slowly turned back to Itachi sitting at the edge of the bed, glancing about his room casually as if seeing it for the first time, but his impeccably satisfied face was impossible to miss.

"What was that? Fine?" He prodded on, a sickeningly satisfied smirk on his face as he slowly looked up. "You should be more upfront with me."

"You're right: get out."

Itachi's neck craned as if wincing, and offered a sympathetic look. "Come now, you didn't think that would work, did you? It's been two long weeks since I moved and two short minutes since I've been here."

The younger Uchiha retreated into silence, solving his cube trying not to mind his older brother. If his father were home already, then then the Hyuga was as well. Considering their conversation earlier she most likely wouldn't volunteer anything herself, but if asked...

"What's bothering you?"

"You, currently."

Itachi kept flipping through his magazine. "Father won't say anything about it, Sasuke, if that's what your worri-"

"It's not." Snapped Sasuke.

The rising tension evaporated by The Uchiha Mother knocking from out the door.

"Sasuke?" She called. Her face contorted with glee seeing her eldest son. "Ah, my Itachi! I'm so glad to see you."

Sasuke braced himself against the strength and power that was his mother's love as she gushed him on her face. Yes, his father was definitely home early, and would be in time for dinner. The excitement on her made him almost glad to see him as well.

Almost.

"Well, since you boys are here, you'll have to help me prepare for dinner."

:

The air was tentative, heavy as Fugaku sat at his seat at the head of the table. Sasuke said nothing in between the screaming and yelling of the china silverware against the glass plates. He'd said his hello's: greeted his wife with a grand hug and kiss, patted Itachi on the back and welcomed him back.

But as soon as he failed to acknowledge Sasuke, the warm air grew tight, thick, stranglesome, and thrust the family back to the night Fugaku had left for his business trip. This night was warm airy, and still somewhat light.

That night had been two weeks ago, thunderous, raining, and the screaming and yelling came from their mouths not the silverware.

Sasuke left the house. Escaped into the night, and Fugaku had left the next morning for his flight without a Sasuke in his room or bed to say goodbye to, not that he would've.

Mikoto cleared her throat against the salmon. "So, Darling, why did you come back so early again?"

He chewed into a bite, swallowing it back. "You know how unpredictable these things can be. But the last thing I want to focus on is work right now." He looked up at Itachi. "How's the move been for you?"

"It's gone well. The moving company you recommended was excellent. Mother's interior designer's work fast."

He nodded. "Glad to hear it."

Sasuke did everything perfectly. Not a mannerism out of place in effort to draw a curtain to his existence with his father there. But he wasn't a phone person, didn't pay attention to it these days, and forgot their most important rule during dinner.

A loud _ding_ reverberated and interrupted the silence. It wouldn't have too big of an issue, but when you're at odds with Fugaku Uchiha, any mistake will be held in the deepest depths of contempt.

Sasuke restrained himself from looking at it.

A strong inhale drug everyone's eyes to his, even Sasuke's and a powerful exhale birthed more tension.

"Turn it off, Boy," He commanded sipping his wine.

Sasuke reached into his pocket, and looked down wishing he hadn't.

It was all caps. From Naruto. He caught a glimpse of what he said:

 _WHY IS HINAT-_

"Sasuke." Came the stern cut from his voice, and it clicked off without a second thought. But he couldn't help it. Seeing what appeared to be Hinata's name in all caps on his screen made his thoughts go wild.

"Don't disrespect your Mother's fine work."

Sasuke continued to eat his salmon without gracing the man with a look.

But he could feel him drilling into him. It made his jaw roll with anger.

"So, do you think you'll be here for Sasuke's graduation?" His mother asked, her saccharine voice trying to lighten the atmosphere. "He'll be giving a speech this year too. Just like Itachi,"

"For being second. Not first." He clarified as his teeth ripped the salmon from his fork and chewed on it.

Sasuke felt the edges of lips twitch with a sick humor. He knew his father didn't totally mean that; he simply wanted him to bend to him. Grovel, and humble himself so that, only then he can earn his own bit of praise.

"His GPA is higher than mine when I graduated," Itachi interjected before sipping slowly from his wine glass. "From what I've seen, Sasuke's class is a bit more competitive than mine was."

Fugal says nothing. He wasn't a yielding man.

Before Sasuke can open his mouth to bite into his meal, his phone rings again.

Frustration with himself courses through him as he realizes he forgot to actually turn it off-overwhelmed by the severity of his father's tone-and had only clicked it shut.

"Sasuke-" His mother starts.

Fugaku huffs another time in warning. Sasuke releases his own sigh annoyed with himself at giving his father oppoortuity to berate him.

" _Boy_."

"I know." He said looking down at his phone to turn it off for real this time, but the texts are more shocking.

 _BRO_

WHAT _IS GOING ON?_

WE _TALKED ABOUT THIS_

WHY _DIDN'T YOU TELL ME IT WAS Y-_

"Sasuke!" His father punched the table and his phone was off.

All three of them were staring now at him. He looked at his mother.

"Sorry."

"It's fine dear, just be better about it next time."

His father continues at his food.

His mother inhales steadily looking back to her husband."As I was saying, I think it'd be great if you made it. I've taken off most of that week from work, and I think you should too." Mikoto was trying her hardest, and usually she could pull through, but there was a shivering ice separating the Uchiha men.

His father sighed without looking up. "I'll-"

The home phone started blaring, and Fugaku paused. He hated phones in his house. They reminded him of work.

Mikoto got up.

"Leave it. Please," He said putting a hand up, and waited for it to go to end. He sighed again. "As I was trying to say-"

It rang again.

Mikoto got up. "It's probably those telemarketers. I'll tell them not to call back." She picked it up. "Hello?"

And without the feminine and serene presence of the Uchiha Matriarch to tame and leash the pride and fury of the Uchiha men, the tension had suddenly boiled over. Sasuke felt the rain sizzling off his skin that night, the numbness of legs from walking for all hours of the night, the insults, the outright regression of their relationship settling upon them and now unmoving in its nature. He wanted to be done with his dinner. Wanted to make the stupid attempt to excuse himself, wanted to either hash it out again, or not see him or rather, and most preferably, not react to his presence so severely.

"Uh-huh, oh, of course! No problem, Hinata!" She looked back to her son, eyes dazzling. "Of course you can speak to him! It's so great to hear from you! I'll bring the phone to him."

The stab of the wound from earlier was back. The raging prides were soon put to a halt. Fugaku himself looked up hearing the familiarity of the name.

Fugaku's eyes trailed his wife's motions and landed on Sasuke, the relaxed and cool look replaced with apprehensive and confused obsidian eyes.

Mikoto walked to her son.

"Is that Hiashi's daughter you were just speaking to?"

Mikoto nodded a certain level of bliss plastering her face. Itachi also had a pleasantly surprised but also suspicious glint in his eye. Fugaku was unreadable.

"Why is Hiashi's daughter trying to get into contact with you? Was she also the one texting you?"

Sasuke' s mouth opened then closed. "Um, no..." he looked at the phone again, dread was what held it to him, not his fingers. "May I be excused?"

Mikoto and Itachi both looked to Uchiha Patriarch. He surveyed Sasuke up and down, and leaned back in his seat with a sigh.

"Don't embarrass me."

Sasuke all but jumped out of his seat, and went into the next room.

He hesitantly raised the phone to his face, eyes searching the room as if looking for her in it. He didn't know why he was so scared.

"Hello?"

" _Uh-_ " Came a dubious whisper. It was her quiet voice no doubt. " _Is...is this Sasuke Uchiha?_ "

She sounded so formal, so distant. It was no doubt her.

"...Yes. This is Neji's sister, right?" He just had to make sure.

An unsure pause passed. " _Uh, I'm his cousin, but...essentially, yes._ "

He wanted to ask her what the deal was, but he couldn't say he wasn't grateful.

" _Erm...I'm sorry about bothering you like this, really...it sounds like you're in the middle of dinner, but...it's important._ "

Sasuke felt his eyes scrunch. He had no idea where she was going with this.

" _You haven't gotten a call from school yet, have you?_ "

"...No." He slowly answered pacing a bit now.

" _So...you know the..._ "She sighed exasperated clearly and Sasuke sat down. " _So I-I really don't know how this-this happened but...apparently, Tsunade-I just got a call from school, an-and the headmistress thinks that we...that you and I are somehow the prime suspects, she-she thinks we did it together, that...we're the culprits for the vandalism outside._ "

::

 _Author's Note_ : That's it for this chapter. I'm also curious to see who you guys think did it..

Let me know in the review section!

'Til next chap!


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